Guided missile



July 1 8, 1961 w. H. A. BOYD GUIDED MISSILE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.13, 1950 V N Qbx INVENTOR M WW ATTORNEYS WILLIAM H. A. BOYD mm a mm mmwm B lg mu m mm July 8,, 1961 w. H. A. BOYD 2,992,794

GUIDED MISSILE Filed Dec. 13, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

F 6- 5 WILLIAM H. A. BOYD m MW July 18, 1961 w, BOYD 2,992,794

GUIDED MISSILE Filed Dec. l5 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 8 WILLIAMH. A. Bow

nrroRA/EKS W. H. A. BOYD GUIDED MISSILE July 18, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed Dec. 13, 1950 FIG.

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INVENTOR. WILL/AM H A. BOYD ATTORNEYS y 8, 1961 w. H. A. BOYD 2,992,794

GUIDED MISSILE Filed Dec. 13, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. [3 94 [/82 96 49 l ,WQL 98 I 87 I55 .90

ii INVENTOR.

3 WILLIAM H. A. BOYD BY 50 0 .4 TTOR/VEYS United States Patent 2,992,794GUIDED MISSILE William H. A. Boyd, Kensington, Md., assignor to theUnited States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyFiled Dec. 13, 1950, Ser. No. 200,680 6 Claims. (Cl. 244-14) (Grantedunder Title 35, US. Code (1952), see. 266) The present invention relatesgenerally to guided missiles, and more particularly to an air flightguided missile and its assembly, wherein a plurality of air flightappendages are removably attached to the body of a substantiallyconventional explosive charge or payload to attribute desiredaerodynamic characteristics to the missile so assembled, such that thebody of said conventional payload in itself forms an integral part ofthe airframe thus provided.

It is contemplated by the present invention to provide an air flightguided missile for delivering a substantially convenitional payload overa relatively great distance to a desired target area by air, so that thepayload may proceed against the target in its normal manner of operationafter release therefrom of the previously mentioned airframe appendages.For example, a suitable wing structure, empennage structure, propellingmotor, and intelligence system may be attached to an underwater torpedo,so that when launched into the air the torpedo and its air flightappendages may be delivered as an air flight guided missile to a desiredtarget area, and upon reaching a desired missile-to-t-arget range, theabove-mentioned appendages may be shed from the torpedo, permitting thetorpedo to enter the water and proceed against the target in its normalmanner of operation; and if desired, the torpedo itself may be directedin its Water course toward the target by its own sonic homing system orthe like. As an additional example, a plunge bomb may be similarlyequipped with such air flight appendages as previously mentioned to bedelivered by air to a desired target area and, upon reaching a desiredmissile-to-target range, start a dive maneuver of a desired angle ofdepression. At some point during this dive the air flight appendages maybe shed from the plunge bomb, permitting it to proceed against thetarget by plunge dive into the water in accordance with its normal modeof operation. As a still further example, the present invention may beemployed in conjunction with a drop bomb as a payload in which the airflight appendages are attached to the bomb, enabling it to be deliveredby guided air flight to a desired target area. At a predeterminedmissile-to-target relationship the drop bomb may shed the air flightappendages, enabling it to proceed against the target in the normalmanner of drop bombing.

Although missiles are known to the prior art which are designed todeliver a payload by air to a desired target area and then to releasethe payload from the airframe, to permit the payload, such as anunderwater torpedo or drop bomb, to proceed against the target in itsnormal manner of operation, the principles of assembly of the airframewith the payload there employed are substantially different from thatcontemplated by the present invention. In the prior teachings, a unitaryindependent airframe is provided to which the payload is attached as anappendage of the air flight missile, or the payload is housed within thebody of the unitary airframe. Disadvantages are inherently attendant insuch prior art structures, which are essentially integral andindependent vehicles or carriages for the air transportation of thepayload. For example, an integral airframe 0r payload air carriage isgenerally very bulky and unwieldy, making transportation thereof orfield assembly with a payload diflicult and frequently impractical orimpossible; also, the relatively great mass of an integral "ice airframeor payload air carriage increases the power necessary for obtaining adesired air flight speed of the missile; and further, in some instancessuch carriages result in difliculty of clean separation of the payloadtherefrom.

In accordance with the present invention, however, the various airflight appendages are substantially individually removably affixed tothe body of the payload, thereby providing no independent airframe perse, but including the body of the payload itself as an integral andbasic part of the aerodynamic structure of the air flight missile, thusin a large measure overcoming the above-mentioned disadvantages of theprior art structures.

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide an airflight missile wherein suitable air flight appendanges are removablysecured to a substantially conventional payload, to enable the deliveryof the payload to a desired target area by air flight of the missile andthe shedding of the appendages to free the payload for an attack againstthe target in its norm-a1 manner of operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an air flightmissile wherein suitable air flight appendages are removably secured toa substantially conventional payload to impart suitable aerodynamiccharacteristics to the payload and to enable the air flight thereof,wherein said appendages are substantially individually aflixed to thebody of said payload, thereby making said payload an integral part ofthe airframe.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an air flightmissile by removably securing air flight appendages to a substantiallyconventional payload to impart desired aerodynamic characteristicsthereto, wherein the payload forms an integral and essential part of themissile airframe thus provided.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description thereof had in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like orcorresponding parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a completely assembled missile embodyingthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cutaway and enlarged view of the nose of the missile shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the nose of the missile shown in FIG. 1 with atop fairing removed to show the means of assembling the nose cowl to thepayload;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the missile shown in FIG. 1with fairings removed to show the assembly of the wings to the payload;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the missile taken substantiallyalong the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the central portion of a missile with thefairings removed to show a second method of attaching the wings to thepayload;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the missile shown in FIG. 6 takensubstantially along the line 77 thereof;

FIG. 8 is a view of the same portion of the missile and of the samemodification of wing assembly as shown in FIG. 6, but illustrating theassembly from the underside of the wings;

FIG. 9 is a view of the same portion of the missle and of the samemodification of wing assembly as shown in FIG. 4, but illustrating thewing assembly from the underside of the wing;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of the tail of the missileshown in FIG. 1, illustrating the assembly of the empennage to thepayload.

FIG. 11 is a detailed enlarged view of a portion of the empennageassembly shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a portion of the tail section of amissile, illustrating a second mode of attachment of the empennage tothe payload;

FIG. 13 is a detailed and enlarged view of a portion of the empennageassembly shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the empennage assemblyshown in FIGS. 12 and 13, and taken substantially along the line 1414 ofFIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a view of a portion of the missle empennage showing the motorattachment;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged vertical section of the portion of the missileillustrated in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged elevational view of the clamping ring utilizedfor attaching the motor to the empennage; and

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a portion of themissile assembly taken substantially along the line 1818 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, by way of example the embodiments theredepicted utilize an underwater torpedo 30 as the missile payload, towhich are removably secured a nose section generally indicated by thenumeral 31 for housing a radar homing intelligence system or the like, awing section generally indicated by the numeral 32, and an empennage andmotor generally indicated by the numeral 33. To provide suitable airfoilcharacteristics to the assembled air flight missile, the fairings 40,41, 42, 43, and 44 and others where necessary are provided for coveringmechanism essential to the assembly and desired operation of themissile, as will subsequently become apparent.

Referring particularly to the nose section 31 of the missile, itsexterior comprises a nose cowl 50, which may be frictionally secured tothe nose of the torpedo 30, and a radome 51 clamped to said nose cowl.In FIGS. 2 and 3 the fairing 40 has been removed to disclose the meanswhereby the nose cowl 50 is affixed to the nose portion of the torpedo;and as there shown this cowl is formed of a suitable springlikestructural material such as sheet metal, and is substantiallycylindrical in shape, although preferably slightly tapered in theforward direction to conform substantially to the exterior contour ofthe torpedo 30 along a portion of its nose section to provide suitablefrictional engagement therebetween. This cowl 50 is not a completecylinder but is provided with two substantially parallel edges along thecylindrical length thereof, allowing it to be extended or contracted indiameter for facilitating the positioning thereof over the nose of thetorpedo and the secure frictional clamping thereof in adjusted position.For clamping purposes this cowl is formed with up turned flanges 52 and53 along said edges provided on the cylindrical length thereof. Aplurality of bolts 54 connect and cooperate with these flanges to reducethe diameter of the cowl 50 and bring it into firm frictional engagementwith the circumference of the nose of the torpedo 30. A bulkhead 55 forsupporting a radar homing intelligence system 56, or the like, isclamped and supported in position by the nose cowl 50 when the latter istightened about the nose of the torpedo, this being accomplished byentrance of the inturned circumferential flange 57 formed on the forwardend of the nose cowl into the circumferential groove 58 formed in thebulkhead. The radome 51 may then be secured to the bulkhead 55 by anysuitable means indicated by the numeral 59, as by clamps, bolts, snaplatches, or the like.

One modification of the assembly of the wing structure 32 to the payloadtorpedo 30 is shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 9. For this assembly a T-bar 62is securely affixed such as by welding to the body of the torpedo 30.The wings 60 and 61 are supported by the beams 63 and 63a, and 64 and64a, whose bottom edges are curved to conform to the contour of thetorpedo 30 when the wings are in flight position. The beams 63 and 64are pivotally attached to the fitting 67 by such means as bolts 68. Thefitting 67 is designed to conform to the top of the T-bar 62 as shown inFIG. 5, while the ends of the beams 63 and 64 are provided with thetongues 65 and 66 which enter the slots provided between the T-bar 62and the torpedo body 30 when the wings are spread into flight position,as also shown in FIG. 5. The beams 63a and 64a are similarly providedand attached to the corresponding pivot fitting 67a. Thus, with thebeams 63 and 64 pivotally secured to the fitting 67, and the beams 63aand 64a pivotally secured to the fitting 670, when the wings and 61 arejackknifed upwardly the tongues and 66 of said beams open to enable thepositioning of the fittings 67 and 67a on top of the T-bar 62;whereupon, the pivotal lowering of these wings causes theafore-mentioned tongues 65 and 66 to close upon the T-bar 62 by entrancethereof into said slots formed between the T-bar and the torpedo.

Referring particularly to FIG. 9, a pair of straps 69 and 70 are thereshown secured at their ends to the underside of wing 61 and extendingaround the torpedo 30 to be similarly secured at their opposite ends tothe underside of the opposite wing 60. The end of strap 70 shown in FIG.9 is secured to the underside of wing 61 through the turnbuckle 71,while the corresponding end of strap 69 is secured to the wing 61through the pivot plate 72, rockable about pivot pin 73, and explosivebolts 100 and 101 which are hooked under the pivot plate 72. Theopposite end of strap 70 is affixed to wing 60 by an arrangementidentical to that shown in FIG. 9 for strap 69, while the opposite endof strap 69 from that shown in FIG. 9 is afiixed to the wing 60 by anarrangement identical to that shown for strap 70. By adjustment of theturnbuckle 71 and the corresponding turnbuckle for strap 69 (not shown),the wings 60 and 61 and wing supporting beams 63, 64, 63a, and 64a aredrawn tightly and securely in position astride the torpedo 30 as shownin FIGS. 4, 5, and 9, while the tongues 65 and 66 are caused to bite theT-bar 62.

The assembly of the wing structure to the torpedo may be modified asshown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 of the drawings. In this modification a baris provided with a plurality of paired, transversely extending,substantially arcuately shaped arms 74 conforming along their undersidesto the curavture of the body of the torpedo 30, so that the bar andthese projecting arms may be seated on the torpedo, and if desiredpositioning lugs or the like (not shown) may be formed on theundersurface of the bar 75 for cooperation with corresponding recessesin the torpedo body 30 to provide for accurate positioning of this bar.Each of said pairs of projecting arms 74 is provided with a strap 76connecting with one end of a strap 77 through an explosive bolt 102 anda turnbuckle 78, so that by adjusting each turnbuckle 78 each of thestraps 76 and 77 may be drawn together to firmly saddle the bar 75 inposition upon the torpedo 30. In the instant embodiment, the view shownin FIG. 8 of the assembly under the wing 61 is identical to the assemblyprovided under the wing 60. After the bar 75 is properly saddled, thewings are pivotally mounted on the torpedo by inserting the end of eachof the beams 63, 64, 63a, and 64a between a corresponding pair of barprojecting arms 74 and are secured thereto by means of bolts 68 or thelike, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The wings are then pivoted into flightposition by knifing lugs 81 on the bottom side of each of the wings 60and 61 into the bifurcated receptacles provided therefor, and bolting orotherwise securing these two elements together. The bifurcatedreceptacles 80 are united to the straps 77 through turnbuckles 79,explosive bolts 102, and turnbuckles 78, as shown in FIG. 8. By properadjustment of the turnbuckles 78 and 79, the wings 60 and 61 are broughtinto secure flight position with respect to the torpedo 30 by thearcuate shaped torpedo engaging edges of beams 63, 64, 63a, and 64abeing brought into bearing engagement with the torpedo body, as bestshown in FIG. 7.

If desired, shackles may be provided on either modification of wingassembly to facilitate handling of the assembled missile and mountingthereof on aircraft.

The empennage, generally indicated by the numeral 33, is removablyafiixed to the shroud ring 87 of the torpedo 30, and comprises a cowl82, formed of sheet metal or other suitable structural material, towhich is secured a turbo-jet engine 83 or the like, a pair of horizontalstabilizers 84, and a pair of vertical stabilizers 85. Referringparticularly to the empennage attachment illustrated in FIGS. and 11,the empennage cowl 82 is provided about its circular forward edge,structurally reinforced by band 98, with a plurality of pivotable arms88 designed to reach substantially across the torpedo fins 94 to thetorpedo shroud ring 87, and are provided at their shroud ring engagingends with lugs 89 which enter suitable holes provided therefor in theshroud ring. A strap 93 extends about the shroud ring over the ends ofthe arms 88 and has its ends united by a turnbuckle 90, so that with thearms 84 properly located with their positioning lugs 89 in registry withthe holes therefor in the shroud ring 87, adjustment of turnbuckle 90tightens strap 93 about the shroud ring to hold said lugs in theirpositioning holes, thereby securely attaching the cylindrical empennagecowl 82 to the tail of the torpedo. As indicated in FIG. 11, the arms 88are grooved along a portion of their length midway between the sidesthereof for receiving the top edges of the torpedo fins 94, and inaddition each arm is provided with a pair of side compensation bolts 91and a top compensation bolt 92, the former being adjustable to bearagainst the sides of the fins 94 and the latter to bear against the topedge thereof, to compensate for tolerances between the grooves and thefins to eliminate any play therebetween. In addition, by overtighteningbolts 92 against the top edges of fins 94 an outwardly directed springforce is imposed upon the arms 88 restrained by the strap 93, thepurpose of which Will be explained subsequently.

A modified means of attaching the empennage cowl 82 to the shroud ring87 of the torpedo, particularly adapted to a modified torpedo tailstructure, is shown in FIGS. 12, 13, and 14. As can be seen from FIG.12, this latter modification of empennage attachment is particularlyadapted to torpedoes whose tail fins do not extend aft of the shroudring, as they do in the modification shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. In thepresent modification, the cylindrical empennage cowl 82 is provided atits torpedo engaging end with the circular reinforcing band 98, to whicha plurality of extending arms 88 are pivotally secured, as in thepreceding embodiment of the empennage attachment. In the instantmodification, however, the arms 88 are different from those of thepreceding embodiment, being shaped to merely overlay the shroud ring 87and terminating at their free ends with inwardly extending lips 96 forencompassing the forward edge of the shroud ring. The lips 96 arefurther provided with the slots 97 for engaging the outer edges of thetail fins 94 to increase the stability of the attachment and insureproper positioning of the empennage with respect to the remainder of themissile. With the empennage thus placed in position at the tail of thetorpedo and the arms 88 swung into position to embrace the shroud ring,strap 93 is placed over the arms 88 about the shroud ring 87 andtightened thereon by adjustment of the turnbuckle 90, to securely holdthe arms in engagement with the shroud ring.

The horizontal stabilizers 84 are secured to the empennage cowl 82 byany suitable means and may be attached thereto before assembly of thecowl to the torpedo or after assembly thereof as desired. Similarly thevertical stabilizers 85 and 86 are secured to the horizontal stabilizers84 by any suitable desired means, and may be attached thereto at anypoint in the assembly of the missile as desired.

The motor 83, indicated in the drawings as a turbo-jet engine, may be aspreviously mentioned a part of the empennage 33, and as such is attachedto the torpedo payload 30 through the intermediary of the empennage cowl82. For this purpose the empennage cowl is provided with a reinforcingend ring at its rear end, as shown in FIG. 16, having an outercircumferential groove 124 provided therein, while the cowl abutting endof the motor 83 is provided with a corresponding circumferential groove125. A circumferential clamp 121, shown in FIG. 17, comprises twosubstantially semicircular strips 121a and 1211; having two of theirends hinged at 126, while the other two ends thereof are connectedthrough the turnbuckle 122. As shown in FIG. 16, this clamping band 121is provided with two inwardly projecting flanges 123 about thecircumference of the circular ring thus formed and spaced from eachother to enter the grooves 124 and on the cowl 82 and on the motorhousing 83 respectively; so that when the cowl 82 and motor 83 arebrought end to end and when the clamping band 121 is positioned aboutthe empennage cowl and motor and tighted thereon by adjustment of theturnbuckle 122, the motor 83 becomes securely clamped to the empennagecowl. The motor may be attached to this cowl either before or afterattachment of the cowl to the shroud ring of the torpedo, as desired.The motor thus attached must of course be supplied with fuel, and sincethe most convenient place for fuel storage is within the wings 60 and61, a fuel line 95 (FIG. 10) is provided for connecting such a fuel tankwith the motor 83'.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 18, the fairing 40 (-also shown inFIG. 1) is fastened at its forward end in position upon the missile bymeans of spring clips 108, indirectly secured to the torpedo, engagingdepending brackets 109 secured to the fairing; and it is fastened at itsrear end by being bolted to standards 107 secured, in the case of thewing embodiment shown in FIG. 4, to bolts 68 employed in securing thewings 60 and 61 to the fittings 67, or in the case of the wingembodiment shown in FIG. 6, to projections 74. Intermediate its ends,the fairing 40 is held in position by the depending lugs 111 aflixedthereto and entering the resilient friction retaining receptacles 110provided therefor. The fairing retaining fixtures 108 and 110 may becarried by any suitable mounting structures indirectly secured to thetorpedo, as by engagement thereof with the clamping bolts 54 of cowl 50.The other fairings 41, '42, 43, and 44, and such others as may be foundnecessary or desirable may be atfixed to the missile by permanent orremovable connection to the above-described appendages, by means similarto those described for the fairing 40, or by any other suitable means aswill be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described the assembly of the appendages comprising the nose31, the wing structure 32, and the empennage 33 to the torpedo payload30, the quick det-achment thereof from said payload for accomplishingthe previously described purposes of the present invention will now beconsidered. First considering the detachment of the nose 31 of theassembled missile, it is to be recalled that the nose cowl 50 ispreferably formed of sheet metal offering a resilient resistance to thedrawing thereof about the torpedo, as is accomplished by the tighteningof bolts 54. Therefore, for removal of the cowl 50, two electricallyfired squib guns and 151 are carried by each of the bolts 54, which whenfired shear the bolts; whereupon, the resilience of the cowl 50 causesit to expand away from the body of the payload 30 and to drop freethereof. Furthermore, this release of the cowl 50 disengages it from thebulkhead 55, enabling the bulkhead, the intelligence equipment 56mounted thereon, and the radome 51 attached thereto to also drop freefrom the torpedo. In the instant embodiment, two squib guns are shownand described for each clamping bolt 54; however, only one such squibgun is required for each bolt to accomplish the shearing action, thesecond being suggested merely for insuring proper operation of themissile in jettisoning the nose appendage. Also, as will be apparent tothose skilled in the art, instead of using squib guns for shearing thebolts 54, an

electrically operated solenoid or the like may be employed for securingand releasing the cowl 50.

In the means illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, and 9 for attaching the wings 60and 61 to the torpedo, the two pairs of squib guns 153 and 154, ofexplosive bolts 100 and 101 which cooperate with straps 69 and 70,operate to shear pins 153a and 154:! when fired to release the entirewing appendage. When it is desired to jettison the wings from thetorpedo, both pairs of squib guns may be electrically fired to releasethe straps 69 and 70, permitting the upward lift of the air acting onthe wings when the missile is in flight to jackknife the wings 60 and 61upwardly and carry them away from the torpedo 30. Although the presentinvention is here again shown and described as providing two explosivebolts for each strap 69 and 70, it is apparent that only one need beemployed for each strap, the second one being provided merely as asafety factor to insure proper operation; and here again solenoidoperated latches or the like may be employed in place of the explosivebolts, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. In the event thatonly one of each pair of squib guns 153 and 154 should fire, theprovision of the rocking plate 72 enables the wings 60 and 61 to stillbe released from the torpedo 30. Since, as was previously suggested, thevolume within the wings 60 and 61 may be employed for storing a fueltank, and the fuel line 95 is therefore provided therefrom to the motor83, a slip joint 96 (FIG. 1) is inserted in this fuel line to preventits fouling about the torpedo shroud ring 87 when the wing and empennageappendages are jettisoned. In the modification of the wing attachmentshown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the release of the straps 77 and hence of thewings 60 and 61 from the torpedo 30 is also controlled by a pair ofexplosive bolts 102 for each strap, one located under each of the wings60 and 61 for each strap. Here again, two explosive bolts are employedwhere one would be suflicient to insure proper release of the wingappendage. Each bolt is supplied with its squib gun 152 for rupturingthe bolt.

Jettisoning of the empennage is likewise controlled by two squib guns155 and 156 which are positioned on the turnbuckle 90 of strap 93, sothat upon firing of either one or both of these squib guns theturnbuckle 90 is sheared to release the strap and to free the arms 88from the shroud ring by air flow past the missile, as in the embodimentshown in FIG. 12, or to permit the arms to be spring forced outwardly byaction of compensation bolts 92, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 12,leaving the entire empennage assembly free to fall clear of the tail ofthe torpedo. Here again, only one squib gun is necessary, the secondbeing provided for the same reason as previously mentioned.

An air flight missile is thus provided comprising a substantiallyconventional payload, an underwater torpedo in the instant embodiment,to which suitable air flight appendages have been affixed to impartdesired aerodynamic characteristics to the missile thus assembled;wherein substantially each appendage is separately and independentlymounted upon the payload, thus making the body of the payload itself abasic and integral part of the airframe. In addition, these appendagesare each so mounted as to enable the ready and quick jettisoning thereofduring the missile flight. As an example of one mode of operation of amissile of the type herein described, the assembled missile may belaunched from a mother aircraft with its radar homing intelligencesystem 56 set to seek and guide the missile to a selected target area.The missile thereupon proceeds to said area under the motive power ofits engine 83. Upon reaching a predetermined range from the target, asindicated by its radar intelligence system 56, an electric squib firingcircuit may be initiated to simultaneously ignite all of the squib guns150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, and 156, thereby substantiallysimultaneously freeing the nose, wing, and empennage (including themotor) appendages from the torpedo: the wings 60 and 61 rising from thetorpedo body and carrying the fairings 40, 41, 42, and 43 with the basefixtures 151 for the fairing retaining fittings 108 and 110 therewith;the nose assembly comprising the radome 51, the nose cowl 50, and theintelligence system 56 dropping clear of the nose of the torpedo; andthe entire empennage assembly dropping clear of the tail of the torpedo.The torpedo payload 30 is thus permitted to continue under its ownmomentum stripped of its air flight appendages, and to enter the waterunder the force of gravity; whereupon, its own propelling means may beinitiated by any desired means, as by the water impact, to propel thetorpedo underwater against a desired target in the area, as guided by atorpedo sonic homing head or the like. Thus, there is provided an airflight missile designed to be delivered by self-propelled, guided airflight to a desired target area over a relatively great distancetherefrom. Upon reaching the target area, the air flight appendages arejettisoned from the payload to enable the same to proceed against thetarget substantially in its conventional mode of operation.

It is to be understood that the suggested modes of operation of thepresent missile are not intended to be all inclusive, and the scope ofthe present invention is not limited thereto, nor is its scope limitedto the employment of an underwater torpedo as the payload or base of theairframe structure, nor to the particular details of the air flightmissile assembly, nor to the particular details of the air flightappendages structures herein suggested; but modifications of the missileherein described, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, whichare within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined bythe appended claims, are within the contemplation of the present patent.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. An air flight guided missile comprising an underwater torpedo, a noseappendage releasably secured to the nose of said torpedo for housing amissile guiding intelligence system, a wing structure releasably securedto said torpedo substantially about the mid-section thereof, and anempennage releasably secured to the tail of said torpedo having amissile propelling motor attached thereto, and means for substantiallysimultaneously releasing said nose appendage, wing structure, andempennage from said torpedo to enable the jettisoning thereof during airflight of the missile; said nose appendage being formed in part ofresiliently flexible material shaped to substantially encompass the noseof the torpedo, and means for clamping said resilient nose appendageinto frictional engagement with the torpedo nose; strap means extendingabout the belly of the torpedo for securely saddling said wing structurethereto; and arms pivotally attached to said empennage and engaging theshroud ring of said torpedo for securing said empennage thereto; therebyen abling the delivery of a torpedo to a target area by selfpropelled,guided air flight thereof and the jettisoning of the air flightappendages therefrom during air flight to enable the torpedo to proceedagainst the target substantially in its normal mode of operation.

2. An air flight guided missile comprising a substantially conventionalpayload, a nose appendage releasably secured to the nose of said payloadfor housing a missile guiding intelligence system, a wing structurereleasably secured to said payload substantially about the mid-sectionthereof, and an empennage releasably secured to the tail of said payloadhaving a missile propelling motor attached thereto, and means forsubstantially simultaneously releasing said nose appendage wingstructure and empennage from said payload to enable the jettisoningthereof during air flight of the missile; said nose appendage beingformed in part of resiliently flexible material shaped to substantiallyencompass the nose of the payload, and means for clamping said resilientnose appendage into frictional engagement with the torpedo nose; strapmeans extending about the belly of the payload for securely saddlingsaid Wing structure thereto; and arms pivotally attached to saidempennage and engaging the tail of the payload for securing saidempennage thereto; thereby enabling the delivery of a payload to atarget area by self-propelled, guided air flight thereof and thejettisoning of the air flight appendages therefrom during air flight toenable the payload to proceed against the target substantially in itsnormal mode of operation.

3. An air flight guided missile comprising a payload, a nose appendagefor housing a missile intelligence system, means for securing thisappendage to the nose of the payload, a wing appendage, means forsecuring this appendage to said payload substantially about themid-section thereof, an empennage appendage including a missilepropelling motor, means for securing this appendage to the tail of thepayload, and means cooperating with each of said appendage securingmeans for releasing them from said payload during air flight of themissile, thereby enabling the delivery of a payload to a target area byselfpropelled, guided air flight thereof and the jettisoning of the airflight appendages therefrom during air flight to enable the payload toproceed against the target substantially in its normal mode ofoperation.

4. An air flight missile comprising a payload, a nose appendage, aself-contained target seeking and missile guiding intelligence systemhoused within said nose appendage, means for securing this appendage tothe nose of the payload, a Wing appendage, means for securing thisappendage to said payload, an empennage appendage, means for securingthis appendage to the tail of the payload, a propelling motor appendedto the missile, and means cooperating with the appendages for releasingthem from the payload during air flight of the missile in response to asignal from said intelligence system, thereby enabling the delivery of apayload to a target area by self-propelled air flight thereof and thejettisoning of the air flight appendages therefrom during air flight toenable the payload to proceed against the target substantially in itsnormal mode of operation.

5. An air flight missile comprising a payload, a plurality ofindependent air flight appendages individually secured to said payload,and means for releasing said appendages during air flight of themissile, said appendag s including a Wing structure saddled to saidpayload substantially at its mid-section, a missile intelligence systemreleasably secured to the nose portion of the payload, and an empennagestructure aflixed to the tail portion of the payload, said means forreleasing the appendages being actuated in response to a predeterminedsignal from said intelligence system, the body of the payload therebyforming an integral and basic part of the missile airframe and saidappendages being jettisonable during the attack of the missile against atarget to permit the missile to terminate its attack in a mannersubstantially equivalent to the payloads norm-a1 mode of deliverance.

6. An air flight missile comprising a payload, a plurality of air flightappendages each separately secured to said payload, and means foreffecting a release of said appendages from the payload, said appendagescomprising a wing structure positioned on the main body portion of saidpayload, an intelligence system for seeking a target and guiding themissile toward the target regardless of maneuvering tactics undertakenby the target, an empennage structure positioned at the tail of saidpayload, and air flight propulsion means connected to the tail of thepayload, the payload thereby forming an integral and basic part of themissile airframe and said appendages being separable therefrom duringthe attack of the missile against a target to permit a terminal attackmaneuver substantially equivalent to that normally effected by thepayload.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,301,083 Wolford Apr. 15, 1919 1,384,559 Giles et a1 July 12, 19211,508,317 Crocco et a1 Sept. 9, 1924 2,147,550 Sabathe Feb. 14, 19392,401,853 Bailey June 11, 1946 2,423,090 Fink et al July 1, 19472,539,643 Smythe Jan. 30, 1951

